Scars
by OnyxCryLotus
Summary: It's a fic I discontinued but that I'm now continuing. It's rated T for triggering content, and language abit. Please me what you think about it,. Thanks. (Xion/Riku, Sora/Kairi, Roxas/Lea(Axel) and other pairings in the sidestories.)
1. Chapter 1

This is a fic I discontinued a few years ago but that I'm continuing now. Was my first AU. Enjoy!

I am Xion. A small skinny girl with suicidal thoughts, an eating disorder and anexiety.  
He is Riku. A tall well built young man with perfect grades and an almost perfect reputation. And good looks. So he's popular.

We both are of the same grade, the same school and class ever since we were, what, 4th graders? We're iin our second year of high school now.  
I sit in the corner of the class next to the window, Riku sits a few seats in front of her.  
It's summer. It's hot. It's summer. It's fucking hooooot. Xion wants to at least pull up her sleeves, but it'll show off her scars. And wearing some stupid bandage rolled around won't help either. People question you for an answer you don't give them and it's even worse than sleeves, since it becomes all sweaty and shit. She looks out the window, and the bell rings. Riku walks to you before you can head to the roof to eat with your friends. (Surprise! She has friends!)  
"Can I eat lunch with you?" he says with his clear voice, his eyes locked on her.  
"No." she takes her things and storm out of the class, pacing to the roof, refusing to look him in the eye.  
You've known the guy for like almost 8 years now and he's never talked to you ever since... The thing. So where the hell did that come from?  
When she gets up there, Roxas and Lea are already there, greeting her with smiles.  
"Xion!" the blond haired boy waves at her.  
Lea lifts a hand. "Sup."  
She sit down beside Roxas, who's sitting on Lea's lap. The two of them are in realashionship ever since last year. Yeah, and they're two boys, got a problem? Love is love, fuck the gender, age and race.  
They cuddle and Xion's heart flutters to the sight. The two of them were just so cute.  
Xion wasn't lesbian but she didn't have a problem with the people who were. Like Roxas, Axel and the blond girl that came to join them, Namine.  
Xion pulls her sleeves up, sighing in relief to the cold wind's touch to her scars.  
"You... Cut again yesterday, Xion." Roxas said with worry.  
Axel's head looked above his lover's shoulder and saw the new cuts. Thank god they weren't too deep.  
"What happened this time?"he asked her.  
"Was it yout parents again?" Namine puts a hand on her shoulder, a forced smile to her face.  
"Oh, well yeah. Anyways, Namine, you're not eaing with Kairi today?"  
"No, I wanted to eat with you guys. It's a little hard these days eating with her."  
"I see."  
Kairi. It's the girl Namine has a big crush on. She's been trying to get over her since the girl is dating Sora, but she can't. To not be suspicious, she still hangs out with her and all, but Sora is almost everywhere with her. These days, Namine has been eating and going home with Xion, Roxas and Lea because it's too hard to be around Kairi.  
"Well, feel free to drop by with the weirdos every once in a while, it's fun to be able to talk without holding back." Roxas gleamed.  
They all laughed.  
"Yeah, the only ones missing are..."  
"Right here!" says another voice behind the door. It was Roxas's twin brother, Ventus. Followed by two second years who were Terra and Aqua. They're in a realashionship too. Ventus ans Roxas have the same face, but their hair is in a different direction. Ven has his bangs to the left while Roxas has his bangs to the right.  
"Well Ven, nice to see you're not running like a dog after Sora." Lea teases him.  
"Hey, I have the right to give up when the bone is thrown too far! Right Namine?"  
The blond girl nods and giggles. Aqua sees the new cuts on Xion's forearm and bends down to stroke them. Her hands were warm, but comforting.  
"You cut again." she said in a low tone. "What was it this time?" She lifts her head to her, but Xion has a mouth full of food so she tilts her head to Namine.  
"Parents and shit, according to her." the girl says with a worried smile.  
"I see." The girl says before opening her lunch box. Terra sits beside her and Ventus drops down beside Namine.  
Everyone starts talking and Xion smiles, her eyes lockin on the vast blue sky above her. She turns it and sees grey clouds in the distance.  
"Looks like it's going to rain when we get home." she says, still staring on the other side of the fence.  
The others follow her gaze and sigh.  
"Let's hope some of us have thought about bringing umbrellas." Aqua sighs again.  
"Luckily, I do!" Namine grins.  
"Women always have everything." Ventus pouted.  
"Hey, I guess Xion is an exception in that matter then." Lea smirks behind Roxas's shoulder.  
Xion glares at him. "Oh really?"  
Everyone bursts out in laughter once more and talk a little more before heading to class.

To the end of the fourth period, like she predicted, it started raining. Xion waved to Aqua and Terra when she got to the lockers. They both waved back with smiles, and Terra opened an umbrella and pulled Aqua closer to him, a hand on her waist.  
Xion leaned back to the wall behind her, and watched as all her friends headed out. Roxas was going with Axel, Namine went along with Ventus, she even saw Sora and Kairi heading back together in a pair.

'Weird, I don't see Riku with them.'

Her head titled upwards, facing the celling. She sighed and blew one of her black bangs off her face.

'It's not dimming down... Not that I don't mind getting wet but this is too much, And there are no umbrellas left...'

She sighed and dropped to the floor. When she titled her head back down, she suddenly felt a rush in her head.

'Ah fuck, I knew I cut too much yesterday...'

The gang had seen the cuts on her arm, but Xion also cuts on her fingers and her legs a little. More on her fingers, so that people just think that it's papercut or shit. Her left arm was where she cut usually, but her right hand had many more scars. They didn't show as much though. Xion closed her eyes and fainted.

When she woke up, she was laying on a bed, in an unfamiliar place. Her eyes traveled the room and she still couldn't tell who's room it was. She then heard the sound of the door and zoomed quietly behind it. When the person came in, She jumped on him and held the closest thing she had in hand close to his throat, which was a scisor that was laying on the table nearby.  
"What do you want from me you... Riku?" she said, her eyes widening.  
Her grip on his collar loosened, and the boy got up in a sitting position, rubbing the back of his head.  
"Boy, I just came to check up on you..." he says.  
He brings his hand in front of his face and is glad to see that there's no blood. Then his eyes lock on Xion, just like earlier today.  
"Are you okay?"  
"Err, yeah. What about you? I'm sorry I didn't..."  
"It's cool. I'm sorry I don't have any better clothes for you."  
"Huh?" Xion looks down and realizes that she's not wearing the school uniform. She had big loose pyjamas instead. She blushes.  
"D-d-did you..?"  
Riku blushes too. "N-no! Namine did!"  
Her calms down and Namine steps in the room. She sees Xion awake and rushes to her, taking her hands.  
"Oh, thank god you're okay!"  
"Namine..."  
"When Riku came home with you on his back I was so worried!"  
"On.. His... Back?"  
"Yeah. I piggyback rided you all the way here."  
Xion puts her hands on her hips, tilting them. "Well what a burden I must've been." she smirks.  
"No, actually you're even lighter than Namine." he chuckles.  
Namine wants to laugh it off, but she can't. Neither can Xion. The reason why she's so light and skinny is because she has a eating disorder. It's very light, but she doesn't eat that much because she thinks she's fat and because that if she stops eating, it'll make her weaker.  
Xion has, no matter her body built, an enormous strength. She pinned Riku down earlier, that should tell you something.  
Riku realizes the darkened expression on Namine and now knows that something is up.  
"Xion, would you like to take a shower? We can eat later." she said, her smile back on her face. "It's been so long ever since you've come here."  
"Uh, sure... Yeah, I guess I could."  
"Wait," Riku lifted a hand. "Shouldn't you tell your parents?"  
"Nope." Xion turns to Namine. "Your clothes are too small for me so, where's my uniform?"  
"I put it in the washer a little while ago. It should come out in around 10 minutes. Want to wait for it?"  
"Alright. What do we do while waiting?"  
"Well Ventus is here, Sora and Kairi too..."  
Xion flinched. "Oh."  
Riku realized her reaction to the mention of his bestfriends and got ticked off.  
"What, you don't like them or something like that?" he says with a tone that's a little threatening.  
Xion glares at him. 'I guess he doesn't know about Namine.' "No, but if you want me to hate them, I can try." She turns to Namine again, but this time she puts a hand on her shoulder. "Where's Ventus?"  
"Sora and Kairi were downstairs while Ventus and I were in my room. He's been worried about you too."  
Xion sighs, smiling lightly. "Let's go see him then."  
Namine grows another smile, nods and leads Xion out of Riku's room by the hand.

Riku watched them walk away.

'What the hell?'

Sora and Kairi's head appeared from the door frame.  
"Everybing okay, Riku?" Kairi said, noticing his frown.  
He ran a hand on the back of his head again. "Yeah, she's joining Namine and Ventus."  
"What?" Sora pouted. "She's gonna ruin our plan!"  
Riku smirked. "Oh dear god Sora had a plan."  
"Well it was my idea at first, but the Kairi pitched in." he grinned.  
"Want to take her away?" Kairi smirked at Sora.  
These two fuckheads think that Namine and Ventus like each other, but that they're too shy to admit it. Ahaha, oh boy how wrong they are.

They burst in the room with a huge doorslam and make the two blonds jump, but Xion just turns to them.  
"Xion, could we talk to you?" Sora says with a suspicious smile.  
Kairi follows him. "It's a little private, so can you come with us?"  
Xion takes a look at her friends. They're both hiding behind a pillow, silently crying. The fact that Kairi and Sora are trying to set them up and that they're both going out is really hurting them. Xion turns back to the duo with fuckass smiles.  
"No." she says with a glare.  
The couple steps back a little. Her glare reminded them of what Riku's like when he was mad.  
"C..c'mon, Xion. It'll only be for a little while..." Kairi pouts.  
Xion takes another look at her blond friends. She shakes her head.  
"No, I won't leave them."  
The duo sigh and admit defeat. They close the door silently behind them. Riku notices their defeat and smirks. They bith then plead to Riku to try and get her out of there.  
"The teatcher paired you two together for a project anyways, right?"  
"C'mon, Riku! It'll be like two stones and one bird!"  
Riku chuckles, and Kairi corrects him.  
"That's two birds and one stone, Sora."  
The brunette blushes, bringing a hand behind his head.  
"R-right." his head shoots up to Riku again. "So, will you do it Riku?"  
The taller teen tries to evade eye contact qith the two of them, but he gives in and lets out a grumpy "I'll try then."  
The couple grins and zooms downstairs. "We'll leave you to it then!"

Roku sighs and walks to his cousin's door. He's been here for so long, but the last time he's ever stepped in Namine's room was the last time Xion and Aqua came over. Aqua still comed from time to time, but Xion hasn't been visiting ever since the last year of middle school.  
He was hesitating to knock but right before his hand hit the door he heard a loud sob, followed by a name.  
"Xionn..."  
His eyes widened when he realized that it was Namine's voice. He leaned in his ear to see what was going on, but he only heard bits and parts.  
"Xion... Hurts so bad... Can't do it anymore..." That was Namine.  
"It'll... Just fine... See." That was Xion..  
"But they'll never notice!" that was shouted by Ventus. "I know... Give up... Just can't!"  
"Shhhh.. Hear us."  
That were the last words he heard before stepping away from the door. The only thing he understood was that Namine and Ventus were madly in love with someone that didn't love them back. Oh god that's so sad in many ways. He heard someone pacing upstairs and turned his head. It was Kairi and Sora, with Xion's uniform in hand.  
"So..?" The red-haired girl leaned to Riku.  
Sora realizes something's wrong with his friend and puts a hand on Kairi's shoulder.  
"What's the matter, Riku?"  
"It's... Namine and Ventus, actually they.."  
He explains the situation and Kairi and Sora burst into the room again, greeted with theee horrored stares.  
"GUYS!" They both shouted, worry glued to their faces.  
Namine tried to wash her tears away with her sleeves, but her hand was caught by Kairi.  
Ventus jumped backwards a little, but Sora pulled him back, hands on his shoulders.  
"Namine, you... I never knew you... Loved someone! Tell me about it! I'll help you!"  
"Ven... You're a catch! Why wouldn't a girl want you?!"  
Both blonds stammered and before they knew it, their crushes were swooped away and thrown to a wall. By Xion.  
"Xion what are you doing?!" Sora yelled at her.  
"What's wrong with you?! Are you out of your mind?!" Kairi followed.  
Xion flinched to the insults, but then again, she had a daily dose of this kind of shit. She quickly took her uniform that was laying on the floor and took both blonde's hand, dragging them out of the room, brushing past Riku, who was frozen by the sudden actions he'd seen.  
Namine and Venutus were dragged out of the house, and to the nearby bus stop. It was odd that the trio wasn't following them, but maybe she hurt Sora or Kairi. She didn't want to think about it, so she just rubbed her arm.  
She was in Riku's PJ's the whole ride home, but she didn't care. The fact that tears were still streaming down her friends cheeks was the only thing on her mind.

Sooooooo yeah! I want to know what you guys think so please review! (Even anon reviews is fine yknow.) If you have any questions about the story, I have a tumblr and you can ask questions. .

Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

リクとシオン ②

Thanks for the reviews! I won't always be able to update this fast.

When the trio got to Xion's small empty house, the first thing to two blondes did was fall to the floor on their knees and break out crying even more then they did before, not really caring if the black-haired girl's parents were home or not. Her father always worked on nightshifts and he was never home anyways since he would go out drinking or playing with friends after during the day, and her mother would always go on buisness trips, sending money and letters from time to time. She went out to Germany today, according to a note Xion found on the table.  
Speaking about her parents, they're divorced. The only thing binding them together is Xion. She was what we call an 'accident'. A very common nickname for her from her parents.  
She was disowned by her father last week, and she's sure her mother was planning on doing the same thing when she turns 18. (Right now she's 16.)

After throwing the note in the trash bin, she walks over to Namine and Ventus who's cried dyed down a little.  
Namine lifted her head and realized about her location. Ventus did the same.  
"Xion... This is... Where are we?" she asked.  
Her head appeared from the kitchen. "What do you mean 'where are we'? Where do you think we are, dummy?"  
"Um... In a small house?" Ventus answered, his voice a little cracky.  
Namine gasps. "Is this your place?"  
Xion nods. She just remembered that none of her friends had ever been here before. She head up the stairs.  
"I'm going to change, you guys can settle down and watch some TV." she waves before dissapearing on the second floor.  
Namine stood up and slid her shoes off. She turned on the TV after settleling on the big brown couch in front of the big plasma screen.  
Ventus admired all the consoles and movies that were under the screen, and how clean and neat the whole place looked.  
"This is a great place..." He says a little in awe.  
"Thank you. Proves that I do a good job." Xion says appearing in some casual clothes. She then hands two PGs to them. "Here."  
Namine examines the well-folded clothes and tilts her head. "We're staying here tonight?"  
Xion lifts her shoulders. "Unless you want to go back to your place."  
Both shudder to the thought of facing Sora and Kairi. They both shake their heads and Xion sighs with a smile.  
She lifts her sleeves up, revealing her scars once more, and walks to the kitchen.  
"I'll cook something up. Ven, Namine, you guys better call home."  
"Okay." Namine takes out her cell and finds out she has alot of missed calls and messages. Her heart throbs and she leaves it beside her, taking Xion's home phone instead. Ven sits down beside her and she figures that it's the same thing with him.  
She dials the number and after two rings, someone picks up. To her dismay, it's Kairi.  
"Namine! Oh thank god you're okay!"  
"Kairi.. I..."  
"Where are you? I was so worried after that mad woman stormed out with the both of you."  
Namine hastily got up and paced outside of the house, slamming the door behind her.  
"Kairi. Don't you DARE insult Xion! You don't know her and you don't deserve to say anything on her. I just called to say that I was staying at her place for the night. Please tell my parents. Thank you."  
She hangs up, and sighs deeply. She shed a tear and smiles up at the sky.  
Xion opens the door and Namine hugs her suddenly, catching her off guard.  
"Namine..?"  
"Shhh.. Please..."  
Xion slowly wraps her arms around her waist, feeling Namine's tears on her shoulder.

Ventus calls Roxas and they (his parents and his twin brother) give him a thumbs up to stay.  
Xion cooks an easy meal; Rice with meat and vegetables. Normally she would ear much less, or simply nothing at all but she knew she could at least today cook something for her friends, sit down and eat with them.  
Their spirits lifted when they saw that the girl was eating. Yay.

"Okay... Who's in first for the shower?" she asks, glancing at the clock. It's already 8PM.  
"Me!" Ventus grins, lifting his hand.  
Xion shows him to the bathroom. "Just tell me if my father's clothes are too big or small, I have others."  
"Your father? I thought you said he died?"  
"No, that was my second father, after my real parents divorced."  
"O-oh... W-well I'll be sure to call you for anything then." He closes the door.

Xion joins Namine on the soft carpet. She was staring blankly at the kid's channel, listening but not listening. When Xion sits down beside her, she drops her head on her shoulder.  
Xion pets her head with a gentle hand.  
"Did Kairi say something hurtful again?"  
Her heart throbed. But she managed to hide it.  
"I guess I just... Popped. And I'm a little glad I did." she laughed quietly, not noticing Xion's worried eyes.  
"If you say so then. I beleive you."

The next morning, Riku woke up at 7:38AM. He grunted and got out of bed, heading for the bathroom. He took a quick shower and brushed his teeth.  
When he got downstairs, there was a note from his uncle and aunt.  
'We're off for London! We'll make sure to bing you guys some souvenirs! There's crepes in the frigde.  
P.S. Riku, make sure Nami doesn't eat too much cup ramen! Love you!'  
He sigh and took the crepes out of the fridge. He turned on the stove with a skillful hand to start cooking.  
When Sora and Kairi woke up, they both were lured to the kitchen by something that smelled good.  
"Riku cooking in the morning! Horray!" Sora gleamed, drooling on the food.  
"You need to brush your teeth first, Sora." she brought a hand up to her own mouth, and yawned. "Me too for that matter. C'mon, let's go."  
She pushed him upstairs, leaving Riku to preapre everything.

On Xion's side, they both woke up before her but didn't dare eat without her. Not sure if it was out of weird politness or because they wanted to make sure she had something to eat.  
She came downstairs at 8:00AM exactly. They all ate a bowl of cereals, watching a show and then changed. Xion put the dirty clothes in a basket in her room upstairs, when she came back down the duo asked her if they could explore the second stage.  
Xion gestured them to follow her and to their surprise, the stairs were really silent. At Namine's place they were so old you couldn't tell if it was an elephant or human foot.  
The stairs led to a second big bathroom with had both a bath and a shower, connected to Xion's mother's room on the left. They didn't dare explore in there.  
On the other side of the corridor, They had two guests rooms and Xion's room, isolated by a right turn of the corridor.  
When they stepped into her room, It really wasn't what they expected it to be. It seemed more comfy than their imagination. It was a little bigger than Namine's room but there was one thing they did realize. The room had the basic things a person would need to live here, but it didn't seem very... Personalized. Actually it looked almost exactly like the other guest rooms, but bigger with a computer, stereo system, Internet rooter with white sound proof walls, instruments and two more lamps.  
Okay maybe there was a difference but it didn't look like she was in here often.  
"I thought you were rich since your mom paid for everything, Xion." Ventus blurts out, suddenly regretting what he'd said.  
Xion chuckled. "Yeah she does, but I try to put some cash on the side a little."  
"O-oh... Okay, that's cool I guess."  
"Hey, Xion, could I call home one more time?" Namine asks, her legs slightly shaking.  
"Sure, but why?"  
"I want to go someplace together today. The three of us."  
"But, Namine...If you go back they'll probably be there..." Ventus said, his voice a little cracky again.  
"I've regained the power to control my emotions, I'll be fine!" she said playfully, lifting a knuckle in the air.  
"But..."  
"Are you sure?" Xion cut in.  
Namine nodded, looked like she had something to tell Kairi anyways.

Yay. -rolls-


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for the anon reviews. I know this chapter is short and I'm sorry for it, but enjoy. Thanks again!

"Don't worry guys! It won't be a confession or anything like that!" the blond girl said, making jazz hands before unlocking the door. "Please wait here, I'll be right back."

Behind the window, Riku saw them coming and wanted to warn his friends but he saw the three looking much happier and yesterday and froze. Xion was smiling with them. He's known the girl for... How many years now? And he never saw her smile like that. In fact, he never saw her smile period.

Namine came in and quietly said 'I'm home...'. Soon crowed by the trio before she could even take her shoes off.  
"NAMINEEEE!" Kairi jumps on her. "Oh god I was scared you wouldn't come back!"  
"Namine... Is Ven with you?" Sora shyly asks.  
Namine titled her head to the window. Sora saw Ventus hiding behind Xion, who was petting his head lightly. He wanted to storm out of the house to face Ven, but he was pushed back in by Xion's angry glares.  
"Aren't you going outside, Sora?" Riku's voice said beside him. But the boy just stood there like a deer in daylights.

On the other side of the window, Ven saw that Sora was looking at him. It buried his head in Xion's shoulder below him and felt a hand on his head. A strong, warm hand. It reminded him of Aqua. He closed his eyes and decided to follow Namine into the house, leaving Xion behind with a wave and 'Thank you.'

Ventus stepped into the house, and seperated the two girls. He avoided Sora's gaze.  
"Namine, we came here to say something, didn't we?" he says in serious tone.  
"Ah.. Yeah." she girl flinches and notices that Ventus's hands we're shaking. "Yeah, actually... We've been meaning to tell you guys that um... We're... Um.."  
"What is it?" Kairi leans towards Namine again. "We'll listen. Don't worry."  
"Kairi... Sora... The truth is that me and Ven are gay." She finally says.  
Ventus had forgotten to ose the door when he walked in so Xion could hear everything. She felt really proud that her friends finally told them about their sexual orientation, but now she was wondering if they were going to tell them about their love for the duo.  
Sora and Kairi froze to the unexpected words. Riku saw Xion with her arms crossed behind Ven, and stared at her.

'Looks like she already knew.' He said, seeing her calm expression.

"Is... that true?" Sora asked Ventus.  
The boy nodded and put a hand on Namine's shoulder. "Go get your stuff, we'll wait here."  
"Right." she brushes past Riku. Kairi following her.  
"So you guys both like someone of the same gender." Kairi said, her head a little lowered, as they entered Namine's room.  
She bent down and opened a drawer, putting some things in a bad she picked up. "Yeah. Does it shock you?" she said with a forced smile.  
"So that means that the person you like is a girl."  
"Yeah..." her heart was racing, but it felt more like throbbing. She was a little scared to hear what was coming next, but she continued what she was doing.  
"Could it be Xion?" she said with a small blush.  
Namine giggled as she stood, throwing her bag's single strap over her shoulder.  
"I defiantly love Xion, but it's not her." she walked to the red-haired girl. "I guess it means you're okay with a lesbian friend?"  
Kairi smiled at her. "As long as you're you, I don't see why not."

Downstairs.  
"Are you surprised?"  
Sora pauses a little before answering. "Well a little. Guess I was stupid not to notice or you hid it well."  
Ven chuckled. It somehow made Sora's heart skip a beat. "I tried to hide it, and looks like I did a good job."  
Riku brushes past both of them and joins Xion outside, but Ven and Sora don't bother.

"Xion, I need to talk to you."  
"Me? What for?" she shruged.  
"It's about a math project. See you were always alone before because our class was impair, right?"  
"Yeah..."  
"Well even you should know that Tidus left school last week, right?"  
"Yes..."  
"Well now the class is pair. We were teamed up for a project because the teacher did the teams."  
"Oh. So we're stuck to each other."  
"Yeah. In other words, that is what I was saying."  
She scratched the back of her head. 'oh man, I don't want to take care of this now...'  
She saw Ven and Namine with forced smiles behind Riku's shoulder, 'laughing' with Sora and Kairi.  
Riku noticed this and sighs. "Look, just give ne your number, I'll call you tonight and we can talk about this then or tomorrow."  
"Huh? O-oh, yeah, okay.." she took out her phone, and to Riku's surprise, it was pure snow white.  
They exchanges numbers while Ven and Namine joined them also exchanged an awkward goodbye before both leaving.

When Riku walks back in the house, Sora and Kairi look at him with glowing eyes. His expression darkens.  
"W-what.."  
"You gave her your number, Riku! You actually gave a girl your number! Except for me, Namine and your aunt that is, but still!"  
"I didn't know you liked people like Xion, Riku."  
He sighs. "Look it's only for the project, and besides I don't really like her."  
"Then you hate her" Sora said without a second thought.

No answer.

"Do you hate her Riku?" Kairi repeated.  
"No... Not really..." he shakes his head. "C'mon, you guys we were doing something today. He swiftly evaded the subject and they all walked to the salon.

In the bus, Xion checks her contacts. She usually has just six, but today she has seven. A small blush rises to her cheeks but she shakes it away, telling herself not to think about it for now.  
"So, Xion, what did you and Riku talk about?" Ven asked her.  
"Oh just school. Apparently we were paired together by the teacher for a project."  
"Oh. And he gave you his number?"  
"Yeah."  
"WHAT?" Namine almost shouted. "RIKU DID?!"  
"Whoa, calm down. Yes he did, but why is that-"  
"Riku usually NEVER gives people his number."  
"Oh. Well he'll probably erase me when the project is over anyways, so don't worry." she scoffed playfully.  
"Is that what you're going to do?" she asked her, and Xion became silent. She stared at the ground and said "No. Yes. Argh, we'll see then."  
The blondes laughed and they too became silen when Xion asked them about what Sora and Kairi said.  
"Well, at least they didn't reject us, right Ven?" Namine said, jabbing an elbow at him.  
"Yeah. Glad for that. But uh, where are we going? I was following you, Namine."  
"Following me? I was following Xion!" She pointed her black haired friend, who immediatly snapped back.  
"Hey I was behind both of you, fuckasses!"  
They all burst into laughter, people on the hus are staring at them, but no matter. They were smiling with lifted hearts for the first time in a long while.

Thanks and please review! :D

(Hungry for them, nomnomnomnom.)

I changed my tumblr URL btw. so if you have questions, I'll answer them here; .


	4. Chapter 4

_www.__**youtube**__ watch?v=pxpLxb5jHO0_

I know this chapter is short and I'm sorry for that, but… TODAY IS THE DAY SEASON 5 OF HETALIA COMES OUT ASJFHIOEFJAL;FJASIOHDFUIQFTASKDA.  
Enjoy.

-

'Hello, hello, anybody out there?'  
Xion's ringtone echoed around the house, just like song's name, 'Echo' from Jason Walker.  
Namine and Ventus went home, and Namine called her earlier to tell her that Sora and Kairi weren't there when she got home. She was glad but somehow dissapointed. They talked for about 15 minutes and when she hung up, another call quickly came in. This time it was Ven, calling Xion to make sure she wasn't alone in the house. Of course she was, but Ven said to call him if things got lonley. Xion laughed and hung up, saying that things were just fine.  
This was the third call she was getting in an hour and she looked at the name on the phone.

Riku

She hurrily picked up.  
"Hello?"  
"Oh, hey Xion." his voice answered back.  
"Hey..."  
She hugged her knees with her free arm. 'Why the fuck am I so excited? Calm down, you bitchy heart!'  
"I um, called about that project in math."  
"Oh, right. Want to talk about that now?"  
"Um no. Actually, I was thinking maybe we could meet tomorrow about it."  
"O-oh sure. Where?"  
"I was thinking at your place, since we'd have to deal with Namine if you came here."  
She giggled, and she wouldn't know, but Riku was awfully flustered right now.  
"Could I get your adress?"  
"You can't ask Namine?" she said, getting up and walking to the kitchen.  
"Well, I can, but she would get weird ideas, see."  
"Fair enough. Do you have something to note it down?"  
"Yeah, go ahead and shoot." he said, obviously grinning. Xion laughs silently to the thought.

Xion quickly pulls her sleeves down and puts an elastic over her left sleeve to the sound o the doorbell.  
'omgomgomgomg he's here. no, clam the fuck down. That's right, clam. no calm! Ah , fuck.'  
She opens the door with a pokerface, and to her surprise, it wasn't Riku. It was just a person supporting cancer that was Lea's childhood friend, Isa.  
"Oh. I forgot this was your house, Xion."  
"Hey Isa. Wait here, I'll go get the usual amount."  
"Alright."  
She closes the door and runs to her room. Outside, Riku finally arrives at her house and sees Isa sitting down the stone stairs, a big box beside him. They glare at each other.  
"Who're you." The white-haired boy asks him.  
Isa stands up. "That should be my question. What buisness to you have with the puppet?"  
"Puppet?" Riku tilts his head. 'Is that Xion's nickname?'  
Isa scoffs and says "Looks like you don't even know about her." before Xion opens the door, money bills in hand.  
"Here Isa." she turns her head and sees Riku. "Oh, you're here already."  
Isa takes the bills and puts them in the box. "Who's he, puppet."  
She jabbed him in the ribs. "Stop calling me that. This is Riku. He's a classmate from school."  
"I meant what's he doing here?"  
"Um, what do you think?"  
"Last time I saw a guest enter your place was ages ago."  
"Pft." she shoved him down the stairs a little.  
He turned to her. "Thanks for the donation, as usual."  
"Right." she waves lightly as she paces towards Riku.

When he was gone, Riku was already in the house. It wasn't really like in his imagination. He was expecting something... Close to a horror movie maybe? But now that he was here, it oddly fitted her well. Simple, clean, a little plain but warm and comfortable.  
He slid his shoes off and threw his coat on the couch. Xion then came to him with a drink in hand.  
"Oh. Thanks." he gently took the cup from the table.  
"You're welcome. Wait here, I'll go get my stuff upstairs." she says, already halfway there.  
"Okay."  
She comes back a few moments later with books and a pencil case in hand. Riku takes out the same books out of his bag.  
"So, where do we start?" she asks him, sitting down beside the boy.  
He glances at her, her long straight hair falling from her shoulders, like black cascades.  
"Your hair is pretty long."  
"Hm?"  
'Oh fuck I said that aloud.' He turns his head, trying to evade a blush. Xion strokes a hand hin her hair. It did almost fall to her lower back. She sighs.  
"I should cut it soon again."  
"Why?" he restrains himself from saying 'It looks good.'  
"I usually grow them to give them away for cancer."  
He turns his head back to her, surprised. He carefully studies her expression. Calm, serein, maybe with a small hint of sadness or regret.  
"That's great... And the guy from earlier..."  
"Oh, Isa? He's one of Lea's childhood friends. Them and Terra are part of this support cancer commmunity."  
"Terra is?"  
"Yeah, since his father has cancer, he decided he should try and help in anyways possible, even if a little."  
"I didn't know... He never said anything about it." he leans back on the couch.  
"Well anyways, we're getting off track. Let's start the project." she says, turning to him.  
"Oh, right." he answers back.

They finish the first steps of the project and decide to take a break.  
"Say, Xion."  
"Hm?"  
"Why don't you interact with the class a little more? I mean, you're always doing the things we do in teams alone."  
"That's my problem. None of it is your buisness." she cuts him.  
"Come on, you seem fine interacting with me."  
"You're my friend's cousin. I know you. It's different."  
Riku sighs. "Look at it this way, everyone was once a stranger, but if you give them a chance, they might become your friend. Maybe even more."  
"I know that. But I don't want superficial friends. They're the worst kind of friends you can have."  
"I know that some people in the class look superficial but.."  
"I know that some of them are worth being given a chance. But the ones that are superficial will start judging them if they hang out with me."  
Pwned. Didn't see that one coming. The worst thing was that it was really true. Most superficial bitches and douchebags always look down on others and everything they don't know. Especially Xion, Roxas and Lea. It wouldn't be exagerrating saying that they were bullied, even. Both mentally and physically. Namine, Ventus along with Aqua and Terra were 'safe' because they were all kind to everyone. Most people think that Namine and Ven hang out with the weird trio out of pity ir because Ven feels the need to be with his twin brother sometimes, but they're so wrong.

The silence streches until Xion looks at the time. It's around 4...  
"Want to eat something?" she blurts out.  
"Huh?"  
"Want to eat something here or do you want to go back home?"  
"Um, shouldn't we wait for your parents?"  
Xion chuckles. It's been a while ever since they asked her about her parents. "My mom is in germany, I don't think we need to wait."  
"Oh. Buisness trip?"  
"Kind of." she dissapears in the kitchen.  
"What about your dad?"  
"He disowned me last week." her voice says from the other room.  
Riku's eyes widen in shock. What? Say what now? He turns his head to the kitchen and sees the girl tie an appron. She turns to him and sees his expression.  
"Whoa, didn't think you could make a face like that." she chuckles again.  
Riku turns his gaze elsewhere. "Sorry, it's just that, I can't really imagine that. Your parents were apart?"  
"Yeah."  
"I see."  
"So are you staying here or am I eating alone?"  
"Oh, I'll stay here."  
Xion's heart started racing again. "G-got it. You should probably call Namine on that."  
"Right, I'll be outside."  
"Take your time."

Please review and tell me what you think!  
And by the way, Emo and Proud read my mind because Vanitas is going to be in the next chapter. I was wondering when I was going to put him in there and so… Yeah. c :


	5. Chapter 5

リクトシオン ❺  
Moahahahah, a wild Vanitas appears! What will the poke trainer Xion do with him?!  
Fith chapter! Yay! -rolls-

Vanitas was in the hospital room, his head resting against his grand-father's hospital bed.  
Xehanort was a good man until money took control of him. He would do anything for money.  
He ran a company that was doing well until... Well something went wrong. He was now negoticating with Xion's mother on the phone for buisness.  
When Vanitas woke up, the golden eyed boy saw his grand-father grin at him in a way that made him shiver. He's done something, and he knew it.

It was 2AM and Xion's ringtone came bursting her out of sleep. She saw her mother's name and hesitated to pick up, but she eventually did before the last ring.  
"Hello."  
"Xion, I have buisness partner in which I wish to have a good realtion with."  
'Wow, not even a hello.' She sighs mentally. "Yes mother."  
"It's a Financing company, and as you know, Most of them are drawing near their end, like a few traducion companies, like ours."  
"Yes."  
"The company has a chinese director, and we decided to seal our alliance with your marriage."  
"My... My what?"  
"You will be married to the director's son, Vanitas when you are of age."  
"B-but mother.."  
"He will come down to the states from China next week. I'll send you a picture of him now, with his name."  
"W-where will he go, mother?"  
"Where you do think he will go? You pathetic child. He's coming to stay in our house, until his grand-father, the director sends him the fund to move out. Make sure to give him a key."  
"O-oh..."  
"I must go now, I have better things to attend to. And Xion,"  
"Yes..."  
"You're finally making use of yourself. Don't make my efforts go to waste."  
And she hung up.  
Xion closed her phone and threw it widly on her bed, it bouced off and fell on the floor, but she didn't care. She took a sharp object from the nightstand and started cutting. That night, Xion fell asleep on bloody draps, tears streaming down her cheeks.

The week was almost over. Vanitas should be arriving tomorrow. She sighed as she threw her bag over her shoulder. Today was Saturday. Ah fuck, she promised Riku to meet up for the project. He would understand if she had a place to be, right? He was a cool dude.  
She looked in the mirror one last time, and made sure that the bandage around her arm was secure. She had long sleeves over them but you can never be too careful.

They met up for the project and she warned him that she would leave early.  
"Where do you have to go? Maybe I could.. Go with you."  
Xion fought back a blush. "Ah, no, I.. I'm only going to get someone at the airport."  
"The airport? Don't you need a ride for that?"  
"Yeah, but I can drive."  
"You drive?" he imagined it and couldn't stop an amused smile from strechting on his face. ((Little Xion and a little car, ahaha.))  
Xion chuckled back. "I bet you're imagining me in some wierd car, aren't you?"  
Riku brought a hand to his lips. Xion sighed and said that they should get back on the project.  
It's really weird. She felt so down and tired a little while ago, but when she was with Riku, everything seemed to just... Dissapear. It was always calm and peaceful around him (when his fanclub wasn't around), and he didn't ask any annoying questions. Like a small paradise on earth. No maybe that was praising him too much. Forget it. Scratch that.

Xion glanced at the clock and her dark thoughts came back. She had to go now, if she didn't want to be late. She started to put her things together and Riku's smile dissapeared.  
"Already time?" he said, sighing.  
"Yeah." She threw her bag over her shoulder and walked to the door. "I'll see you... Monday?" she blushed.  
Riku smiled warmly. "Yeah."  
Her expression lightened and she shut the door, waving goodbye.  
She hugged Namine on the way out and took the bus home. She grabbed the keys to her white toyota yaris and headed straight for the airport.  
It didn't take long to see who Vanitas was. He was the one with all the ladies around him. It didn't take long for Vanitas to spot her either. All in black, quite stylish but a little short, with crossed arms and a glare in his way.  
'Wow, just like the picture.' he thought.  
He walked up to her, leaving all his fangirls behind.

Of course, if he had that many fangirls, it was because he was really cute, or smoking hot. ((Actually he's motherfucking smoking, blazing and burnin' hot but okay.)) Xion crossed her arms as she saw him coming. He was as tall as Riku, with black hair almost styled the same way as Sora. But those golden eyes are what caught her.  
"Hey." he lifted a hand.  
"Hi."  
"So.. You're Xion."  
"Yeah."  
"I'm Vanitas."  
"I know."  
"Nice to meet you."  
"Yeah, you too."  
She turned around. "Follow me."  
He nods and takes his luggage. Xion was a little surprised that he didn't have alot of things, unlike most foreigners. But maybe he has loads of valuable cash to blow off to buy new shit.  
Annnnd she was right. He had losta cash in the platnium card he took out to buy a coffee.

They got to the car after that. Vanitas was asking her some small questions, and Xion was giving him smaller answers. She didn't have any opinon on him yet, except that he liked to talk.  
When they got home, Xion took the luggage out of the trunk while Vanitas admired the house a little.  
"What, you've ever seen a house before?"  
"Well, I only lived in an appartement since now."  
"I see."  
She unlocks the door and they both step in, seeking shelter from the cold winter wind. Last week was pretty warm, because winter decided to be retared and come late. But now it was here, leaving a small layer of snow everywhere. Xion showed him to the guest room, that would from now on be his room. Unlike the other guest room, this one had a lock on it like hers and her mother's. The bathroom didn't have one, give or take. He thanked her and wtarted unpacking his things while Xion made dinner.

Another short chapter! I hope I did well with Vanitas. Plot twist and shit coming up! Please review and tell me what you think! Because I have the feeling something is missing in the story. Fluffyness maybe? o^o


	6. Chapter 6

リクトシオン ⑥

I'm sorry I took time to update, school and stuff. Enjoy!

-

"You should eat more, before I take all of it y'know."  
Xion lowers her chopsticks and heads to the sink.  
"Go ahead." she says, setting her dishes in the sink and turning on the faucet.  
Vanitas just shrugs as if he's saying 'fine more for me then'.  
"Call me when you're done eating, I'll do the dishes."  
"Will do."  
And she dissapears on the second floor. Leaving Vanitas alone on the first.

Before heading up to her room, Vanitas checks the documents for the admission in his new school next week. He closes the folder and rubs his eyes, realizing that he's sleepy. He says something in chinese and puts the dishes in the sink. He drags himself up the stairs and knocks on the door, he's not even sure if this is her room.  
No answer.  
He tries the room across the hall from his.  
No answer.  
Finally he realizes there's one left after a right turn at the end of the hall. He rubs his eyelids again.  
'Why the fuck did it had to be the isolated one.'  
He knocks on the door and Hears an unlocking sound. Xion's face appears from a crack in the door.  
"You finished eating?"  
"Yeah."  
"Ok, I'll go so the dishes. You should rest." She says, closing and locking the door behind her.  
Vanitas scoffs. "You know, it's not like I'm going to break in there or something."  
"What?" she lifts and eyebrow.  
"Your room. You don't need to lock it, I won't go in there."  
She turns back to her door. "Oh. Hm, no it's not that.."  
"What is it then? Surely normal people don't lock their own rooms in their own house." He says, crossing his arms.  
Xion chuckles. The place where they were standing was badly lit so he couldn't see her smile.  
"Force of habit, I guess." She says before zooming down the stairs.  
Vanitas sighs and goes in his room, leaving the door partially open. When Xion comes back up she closes the door for him, and closes the lights in his room as well.

When Vanitas wakes up the next morning, he realizes a small blanket has been put over him and that it was already noon. Already experiencing jetlag. He drags himself to the bathroom and smells something. Something good. From downstairs.  
He walks down after a good splash of water to his face, and sees Xion. She's cooking some eggs with some bread and bacon.  
He came closer to her and watched as she flipped the egg skillfuly. It landed on the plate she had in her other hand, next to the bread.  
"Next is the bacon." she sighed, putting the plate down.  
"I'd like loads of that please." He said from behind.  
Xion gasped and turned around, pulling her sleeve down.  
"I... You should say something if you're there.(holy fuck you didn't see my scars, right?)"  
He scoffs at her, with a malicious grin on his face. "Kk."  
Xion sighs, pulling her sleeve down a little more. "So you like bacon."  
"I like meat in general." He says, sitting down on the table.  
"I see."

Xion skipped out on breakfeast again, telling Vanitas that she already ate.  
"I have to go somewhere today, will you be alright alone?" she says, taking a sip of coffee.  
"Where are you going, when are you going and when are you coming back?"  
"Salon, gonna leave in 15 minutes, should be back around 4:30 or so."  
"Salon?" the golden-eyed boy lift an eyebrow. "Why the fuck would you want to go there?"  
"Why do you think I want to go there?"  
"Well I don't think you really need to, your hair looks mighty fine and sassy that way." he says, almost sounding sarcastic.  
He lowered his head, waiting for a 'thank you' or something, but nothing came. He lifted his head to tell her to at least thank him, because it was common sense that you thank someone when they compliment you, but nothing came out of his mouth. He saw her blushing and that stopped him in his tracks.

Holy fuck she's cute.

Why didn't he notice those blue eyes before? And that pale complexion? Maybe he was just too tired to, but he regretted not getting a better look.  
He was so against this marriage thing, but seeing her face like that, he didn't really reject the idea now. He blushed lightly and lowered his head again to take another bite.  
"If a haircut isn't the reason you're going there, why are you?"  
"Uh.. I uh, sell my hair."  
He lifted his head again. "What."  
"You heard me."  
"Who the fuck would fucking pay for hair?"  
She chuckled, making a small smile appear on her. "Cancer campaigns of course."  
"Oh." He caught on the fact that she gives her hair away for people who need it, and didn't really imagine her doing so. But then again, he met her yesterday so he doesn't really have an opinion on her. Except the fact that she was really cute when embarrased.  
"Wait you... Just give hair, right?"  
"What do you mean? It's the cause of the campaign anyways."  
"No I mean... If you go there just to cut your hair. it shouldn't take that much time."  
"Oh... No I go there as a volenteer too."  
"I see.." He takes another bite and stares at her, who's looking outside.  
Before getting up and putting his dishes in the sink, he asks Xion if he could go with her. Her eyes slightly widened to the question, but the corner of her lips lifted a nanometer.  
"Of course," she smiled at him, causing his heart to skip a beat. "it's a great idea."  
Vanitas smile back, obviously blushig, and put his dishes in the sink. He started washing them, and Xion got a call. She waited before the last ring to pick up.  
"Hello..?" she said, her voice slightly shaking as she stood up. Vanitas noticed this and turned around. Alas he couldn't see her face because he was facing her back.  
"Yes... Yes he's arrived."

"Yes, mother... Good day." She said before hanging up. When she turned around to sit down on the chair, Vanitas sat down in front of her, rubbing his half-wet hands on his pants.  
"Was that your mom?"  
She nods.  
"Lemme guess, she wants to know if we're doing okay."  
She nods again.  
"Ok then." He got up and started walking upstairs. "I'm going to change."  
Xion nod again and clenched the fabric of her pants. She wanted to cut so badly right now.

I might not update everyday from now on, but I'll still try to be fast on updates. Thank you for reading and please review! (hungry for them)


	7. Chapter 7

Horray! Kind of long chapter! (no not really)

When Vanitas came back down, he was wearing almost the same outfit as yeaterday; a black long-sleeved shirt that has the pattern of a red heart in the middle with a jacket tied around his waist, followed by dark blue skinny jeans.  
Xion took the car keys and slid her shoes on, the golden-eyes bou behind her.  
"Where does this event take place?" he asks, getting in the passenger sear of the car.  
"It's at a park, so that some children can play."  
She drove out of the house after locking it and the drive didn't even take 2 minutes.  
'The park was fucking around the corner. Why the hell would she drive here? Waste of gaz and shit.'  
He now had the idea of Xion being pretty on the outside but fucked up on the inside.

She got out of the car and she was greeted by her friends. Isa, Lea, Roxas, Terra and Aqua.  
"Hey Xion!" Roxas waved at her.  
"Hey Roxas. Ventus ain't with you?"  
The blond shakes his head, then lowers it. "He was scared Sora would come."  
"Oh."  
"Puppet! Come here!" Isa said from afar. He was holding a stand with Terra, and it looked like they were struggling with it. She sighed and helped them out, placing a few heavy things here and there.  
Vanitas just watched from afar until Terra noticed him.  
"Oh, are you Xion's friend?" he asked him.  
"Friend..? Yeah, I guess so."  
The taller teen put a strong hand on his shoulder and smiled at him. "That's great."  
Xion ran to them. "Terra."  
"Yes?"  
"We're done with the... Cutting panels."  
Terra frowed lightly. He knew that when she had a problem saying something like 'cut' it meant that something had happened. Took a while to realize, because she would hardly ever show any emotions.  
"Great. Now Xion, might you introduce me to your friend?"  
"Friend? Oh, Vanitas. No he's actually just.."  
"Hm? So his name is Vanitas. Nice to meet you." he grinned down at him.  
"Yeah." the boy said back.  
Roxas came to join them, and Lea followed. Then before they knew it the whole gang was around the newcomer.  
'Well at least these people are nice.' he thought.  
Roxas and Lea then dragged Xion out of the circle, saying that they'll go buy some ice cream.  
As they walked away, the older teens sighed with a smile on their faces. Only Isa did a funny remark.  
"It's already fall, and they still want ice cream?" he smirked, crossing his arms.  
Vanitas stared at them talking and laughing away. "They look close, those three."  
"Oh, you don't know their story?" Aqua said, bending down to him a little.  
"Their story..?"  
"Oh, so you don't."  
"Well tell me then."  
Aqua giggled. "Why don't you tell him, Isa."  
the blue haired teen flinched. "What? Me?!"  
Terra nodded, slightly smirking. Isa shrugged and sat down.  
"Where to start.." he said, staring in the distance like he was digging up old and precious memories.  
"The begining, if possible." Vanitas shrugged beside him.

Isa chuckled and started to tell the tale, as Aqua and Terra walled to the panels hand in hand.  
"Well, Lea is my childhood friend, and my company's mother is cousin with the puppet's mother's. So I know her from ever since she was born."  
"Puppet? Why do you keep calling her that?"  
"I'm getting there."  
"K."  
"Well, since I'd lost my mother to illness, and she was the only one protecting from a military education, I was forced to become the next pillar of our company. After my father remarried, To make sure that I wouldn't die like my real mother, I followed a children's military course somewhere in India. That's where I met the puppet."  
He lowers his head, staring at his hands.  
"She was one of the smallest and one of the most scrawny-looking kids, but she was unbelievebly strong."

He lifts his head and stares at the sky.

"I didn't know who she was until I came home for a buisness party. She was sitting there in a black dress and make-up, believe it or not, (Because she hates dresses and the smell of make-up makes her want to throw up.) with a bunch of old and young women around her, telling her mother how she turned out beautiful. Then my mother came closer and she looks just like a doll, but to me it looked more like a puppet. Almost not moving, pretty but expressionless...  
When my mother asked me what I thought of her I blurted out that I thought she looked more of a puppet than a doll, and.. Oh the horror that spread in her face.  
Luckily she didn't have the time to lecture me because the ladies that were around the puppet were now crowding around me.  
The puppet's mother said that they were going home but before she joined her mother she came closer to me. She looked me straight in the eye and told me this; 'You're just a puppet too.'  
And then she joined her mother at the central door."

'Whoa, that's pretty rad, that she answered like that.' Vanitas thought, smiling behind his scarf. Isa continued along with the next part.

"And it was in middle school that I saw her again. She hadn't changed much, but it looked like she couldn't make many friends. The only people that stayed around her were the blond trio. Roxas, Ventus and Namine. I, at that time always had Lea with me. Aqua and Terra came along after he got paired with them for a project.  
I transferred for my two last years of middle school, but Lea, Aqua, Terra and me didn't stop our regular meetings, on the contrary, puppet and her gang started coming with us."

He digs his face in a hand, smiling.  
"Oh boy was it noisy. Like Lea wasn't enough."  
He lifts his head again, still with that smile on him.

"Soon after they starte joining us, Terra's father developped a tumor on the area of his chest, because believe it or not, men can have breast cancer. Terra was really down and depressed, wondering what would happen if his father died. It was hard to see your friend become weaker and weaker everyday. It's then that puppet suggested we do something about it. Terra's familly was normal but they didn't have fund to pay the operation off, and puppet and I couldn't use our company's money until we were 18, so she took on a part-tome job with Aqua to help him out. We all followed their example and that somehow slapped Terra back to his senses. That's where he came up with his idea of collecting hair for cancer. We all liked the idea and the first donator was puppet. Namine and Aqua's hair were too short at the time, but now the three grow their hair out to cut them when the time is around the corner. I guess that's about it."

He looks at Vanitas, who was almost done processing all the information he'd gotten. Even if his story didn't really answer to the question of why Roxas, Lea and her were so close it was pretty important. Why the fuck did this guy tell him all this anyways? Aaaarghh. He scratched his head, frowning lightly.  
Isa chuckled. "Sorry, must be a little lot to take in." He turned his head and saw the trio from afar. "Oh, they're back."

Vanitas lifted his head and saw her smiling with her friends, waving in sync with Roxas in Aqua and Terra's direction. Oh god that smile.

He realized that there was another trio that was following them from behind. A brunette with almost the same haircut as him, a redhead and a tall white-haired kid.

Yay! Done! Thanks for the reviews guys!


	8. Chapter 8

Vanitas stared at the small gang approaching. The white-haired kid and Xion were now behind, talking about something. He took a few steps into the street to join the others on the ofher side but a car came at him full speed while pushing on the siren. It made the guy jump cause he was in the middle of the road. The brunette and the red-haired chick (hey she was cute) screamed his name in worry.

"Riku!"

The car just kept going, and when it passed, Vanitas saw a scene that just angered him.  
The white-haired kid called 'Riku' was saved by Xion's arms around his waist. They were both in the ground and she was hugging him tightly.

Xion got up and streched a hand to Riku. "That was close."  
He didn't answer, but after she helped him get up he whispered 'Thanks.'  
"Are you okay?" she asked him, looking her his eyes below his bangs.  
He just nod. He couldn't tell her what was bothering him. Either the thought of being saved by a girl or because she hugged him. (kind of)

Their hands slowly intertwined, and Xion blushed to the warmth his hands realeased.  
"Are you really okay?" Xion asked him, blushing even more at the eye contact they made.  
"Just fine." The boy lifted her hand and wanted to peck a small kiss on the back of her palm, but he resisted the urge to and just brought it to his forehead, thinking it was stupid to do something like that.  
Her head lowered, obviously blushing even more. After a smal silence he chuckled and lead her to the other side of the road.  
He brought their hands behind his back when the others came to crowd them.

Their hand separated when Vanitas came and took Xion away by the shoulder. Looks like he was the only one to have seen their hands itertwined. Riku glared at him, and the golden-eyed boy shot daggers back.  
"Who're you." they both said in sync.  
Lea approached them both, putting a hand on each of their shoulders.  
"Vanitas, Riku. Riku, Vanitas."  
"Vanitas? You're the guy she went to pick up yesterday?"  
"What of it? What's it to you?"  
Riku shurgged away, ans Vanitas finally let go of Xion's shoulder. She turned to Vanitas but he shifted hia gaze elsewhere, to Kairi.  
When he saw she was holding hands with Sora, he just sighed, lifted his shoulders a bit and turned back to Xion, but she was already gone.  
She was over at the panels, where a small line of people where already there. More and more people suddenly came and parked in the streets to join the line. Oh, this was going to be a long day.

Xion was cutting at amazing speed, and Aqua could style in almost any mind of haircut you wanted. Kairi was with Sora, babysitting some of the kids that were there. Terra, Isa and Riku took care of the cash while Vanitas and Lea took care of the donations.

When they event came close to it's end, Aqua invited Xion to sit down at her post.  
"I'll cut it for you."  
The girl nodded and sat shyly in the chair. Aqua smiled down at her, untying her hair. "The usual style, right?" (aka the haircut she has in the game.)  
Xion nodded as Aqua started to play with her hair a little. Riku was passing by with a box and decided to stop and stare. He's never seen her with her hair untied before. She lifted her head and caught his gaze. He realized she saw him staring and they both blushed in sync. Aqua giggled silently and started cutting Xion's hair.  
When she was done, the whole gang was around the panel, looking at the result. Riku and Vanitas both blushed when they saw her.

Fuck godamn it she still looked as cute. With or without long hair.

Aqua started to take down the panel, and Xion helped. She loaded the donations in her car, and passed the keys to Isa.  
"Make sure that you give it back now." she said with a maternal tone, a small smile on her.  
"Yes yes, mother." he sigh, as he got into the car.  
She waved at him, and he waved back before driving away. She then turned to Vanitas. "Sorry, but we have to walk back home."  
"Is that why you brought the car here?" he asked, pointing the vehicle that was getting further in the distance.  
Xion nodded. "Would take too much time to carry the donations to my place and load them."  
"I see." he stared a little into the distance, watching Isa drive away and Terra bringing Aqua in his car. 'So I got the wrong idea before..'  
Roxas and Lea, followed by the trio came to see Xion. The blonde waved happily at them.  
"Guys! How about we all go get something to eat?"  
"Everyone's paying for themselves, though." Lea smirked. "I'm really broke."  
"Sora, Kairi and Riku are going, what about you guys?" Roxas asked, taking Xion's hands.  
She blushed when she caught eye contact with Riku. "I'll..." she turned to Vanitas. "Do you want to go?"  
The boy shook his head, and started walking away. Xion untangled her hands from Roxas's, and appologized before going after him. the blonde assured her that it was okay, and smiled.  
In the distance, Riku saw them walking together and his heart started aching. He kicked some tall grass, obviously pissed, and cursed under his breath. Why did he feel this way?

I appologize in advance for the short chapter. I'll try to make then longer and… stuff c :

Thank you for reading and please review!


	9. Chapter 9

Horray! A pretty good chapter, I think c :

When they both got home, Vanitas went straight to his room. Xion thought it was because he was obviously tired but it was actually because he was still pissed off. About what?  
Well what else then his 'fiancée' blushing and smiling at the sight of another?  
'This is stupid.' he mumbled to himself.

* * *

Vanitas has been attenting school for a week now, and he's almost as popular as Riku. He's more of the type to drown in his admirers though. He's really good in Phys. Ed but he could do better in class. He was in the same Main class as Riku and Xion, but half of all his other classes were with Xion. How convienent.

Before going home on a certain October's friday, Vamitas cracked. He couldn't handle this anymore. He tried almost eveything to get that girl but nothing worked. Either she was really innocent or really stupid. But he needed to do something to get her heart. Abd he decided that He'll do it today.

As Isa came into the cafe where they were meeting, Riku went to the bathroom. Vanitas took this as a chance and put an arm around Xion. She flinched but she didn't push him away. When he turned his head to her he saw her blushing.

Fuck. She was defiantly cute.

He called her name, not noticing that he spoke louder than he intented to. Everyone was staring now.  
"Xion."  
She turned her head, avoiding eye contact. "Yes?"  
With the hand around her neck, he slid a finger below her chin and angled it up to him. He then approached his face to hers and their lips met in a gentle smash.

Her head pulled back almost as soon as they touched, eyes widened, surprised or horrored, maybe both. She hurrily got her bag and stormed out of the cafe.  
When Riku got back, all he noticed was that it was unbelievebly silent, and that Xion was gone. Before she could ask where she went, Ventus got up violently. Namine saw the fury in his eyes and hers widened. Was he.. Angry?  
He took Vanitas by the collar. "What the hell is wrong with you." he hissed.  
His voice went shivers down his friends spines. He's never been agry before. Even when he was hearing people bitchtalking about his friends, or even his family. He would just usually step in with a creepy smile and threaten the gossipers, but never cause an outrage like and raise his voice. Never.  
"Why have you been trying to get her so badly for the past week?"  
"Why does it bother you, blondie." he glared back.  
"The way you do it, dickhead. Being a dick ain't gonna to make yours bigger, and tryin to get Xion with ways like that defiantly won't work either."  
Their eyes were throwing daggers at each other's, and none was backing down.  
"What do you know about her, blondie."  
"I'm sure I know alot more than you." he scoffed. "But what do you know about her?" he said, approaching his face.  
His eyes slightly widened to the question. Ventus noticed this and threw him back on the chair.  
"You know, I also want someone, but before trying to win them over, I try to know them inside-out first. I'm almost 80% sure you want Xion just because she's cute."  
He put some money on the table and starts walking away. "Well Xion isn't like the others you've gotten thanks to your facade. She's different."  
Riku didn't understand what was going on, but he put some cash on the table and chased after Ventus. He caught him by the arm, and when he turned around, Riku noticed that he was crying.  
"V-ven..."  
"Oh." he wiped his tears away. "It's you, Riku."  
He had no idea if he should pull him in a bromancy hug or if he should just stay silent. He decided to stay silent.  
"What happened while I was in the bathroom, Ven?"  
He said, letting his arm free from his grip.  
"Well, long story short.. Vanitas has, for the past week, tried to win Xion, no?"  
"Yeah.." His heart started aching, it annoyed him alot that he's been so sticky to her, and when the thought of it being normal because they're fiancés, he was just... Sad.  
"Well whatever he did didn't work on her, because..." he chuckled. "Well it's Xion."  
"Y-Yeah."  
"And since his approaches didn't work well, he decided to take it up a notch by kissing her."  
Riku's heart throbbed. "What?"  
"Right before I accidently raged, Xion took her things and ran out. I have a feeling she's crying too, so let's not stay here and look for her, if that's why you came after me."  
Before Ventus was too far, Riku caught him by the wrist again. "Wait, Ven."  
He turned around. "Yes?"  
"Why did you... Get angry in the first place? Um, I mean, you've seen worse than that, and stuff.."  
His eyes widened, but then he smiled warmly, like the answer was obvious. And it was. It came from the bottom of his heart. "Who wouldn't rage when something happened to your hero?"  
"Hero?"  
Ventus nod. "She's saved us coustless times now. Me, Namine, Roxas and Lea.. Even Isa and Terra."  
Riku loosened his grip on his wrist. Isa, Terra and Lea, really? But there was one name he didn't hear. "And Aqua?"  
He didn't bother with Kairi and Sora, she wasn't close to them anyways.  
"Aqua, I don't know..." he shook his head lightly. "But we'll ask her later. Right now, we have to look for Xion. I don't think I have your number, could I have it?"  
They both took out their phones. They exchanged numbers by infra-red signal and both went their seperate ways.

He ran everywhere, and when he called Ventus to ask him if he found her, the answer was always negative. He said he'd gotten the others searching too, so Riku decided to call Namine. She picked up in a flash.  
"Nami? Have you seen her?"  
"I tried to call her, but she won't answer!" her voice answered through the device.  
"I'll try then."  
"Oh, you still have her number?"  
"Uh... Yeah? Why?"  
"I just assumed that you've erased her since you guys turned that project in. Guess you're holding onto her."  
He blushed. "The hell does that mean?"  
He heaed giggle. "Oh, nothing. Just try to call her."  
"Right." and he hang up.  
He searched for her number in his contacts. He found her at the end of the list, and sighed before calling.  
'I didn't think I'd ever call this number again..'

He approached the electronic to his ear and crossed his fingers. Dunno why he was doing it, it looked stupid, but he didn't really care.  
Finally, a voice answered, but it wasn't her's.  
"Hello?"

Riku flinched when he realized it wasn't her.  
"Xion?"  
"Oh, is that this young girl's name?"  
"Who are you? And why do you have her phone?" he almost hissed.  
"Calm down, young man. I am just a nurse. Now listen closly."  
"Okay.."  
"So, your... Is she your girlfriend? Oh whatever. Xion got into an accident with a child."  
His heart throbbed again. "What?"  
"according to the child's mother, Xion rushed jnto the street, avoiding the boy to be smashed by the car. Looks like it was a deunk driver at the wheel."  
"I..Is she okay?"  
"Yes, she's just fine. Just a few.. Oh my god."  
"What? WHAT?" he almost screamed in the phone. What happened to her? Her arm? Which one? Is it okay?  
The nurse's voice shakes as she says: "Her arm.. It's... so full of scars..."  
"Huh?"

TUN TUN TUNNNN. SOMETHING HAPPENED.  
So um, yeah, I was a little cuaght up with school so I couldn't write shit. If you have any qestions, make sure to go ans ask me on ma tumblr c : (scarrysky)  
Please review and tell me what you think!  
Bye!  
-rolls-


	10. Chapter 10

I'M SO SORRY, I DIDNT UPLOAD ANYTHIGN FOR A LOOOOOON TIME D:  
All the docs got lost and shit.  
-

The nurse covers her mouth, holding back tears.  
"And she has such beautiful skin..."  
She passed her other hand in a part of the undamaged skin, that is soft and warm to the touch, forgetting Riku on the other side of the line.  
"Madam, may I ask where you are bringing her?"  
"The Kingdom's children's Hospital. She's too young to be carried to an adult hospital, her wounds aren't too deep and we have the boy with us." she says suddenly, snapped back to her senses. "Will you come and see her, young man?"  
"Yeah... Please call me when you get the chance to put her in a room. My name is Riku in her contact list."  
"R-right. Got it."

And they both hung up. Right now, Riku is in front of the Hospital, sending texts to everyone that he found her. He lies that she's fine to all of them except for Roxas and Lea. He couldn't do that to her best friends. When they got the mail, they called and said that they were coming to the hospital with Isa. Isa? Really? He didn't seem that close to Xion at all...

When the nurse called Riku to tell him in which room Xion was, he quickly thanked her and transmitted the information to the trio that were headed here.  
He went through a maze of walls and sees a brown-haired woman enter her room. He follows her in and he sees half of Xion's body behind a curtain. He's not even sure if it's her, but he wanted to see her badly. Ask her if she was okay, if she needed anything and what thell hell went through her mind when-

"Mommy!"

A small, white haired child runs to the woman. He had a few patched up bruises here and there, and the woman bent down to him to give him a tight hug.  
"Oh, thank god you're safe, Kadaj.."  
The boy's small green eyes shoot up to Riku.  
"Mommy, who's he?"  
The woman follows her child's gaze and falls on Riku. She gets up, hand in hand with her child.  
"Are you here to see her?" she asks with a gentle tone.  
Riku nods. 'She's really pretty.' "Are you the mother of the child she saved?"  
"Y-yes, my name is Areith. And this is my son Kadaj." she says with a warm smile. "I'm sorry this had to happen to her.. I just turned around and... Oh I'm so sorry..." she starts to tear up.  
Riku panics a little, but then Kadaj tugs a little on his mother's arm. "Mommy, don't cry.."  
Areith looks down to her child, slowly bends down to him, and laughs.  
"Yes... Yes you're right. Mommy shouldn't cry."  
The boy nods, smiling.

Riku sighs at the heart-warming scene, and walks to Xion's bed. He slides the curtain to see her better. He sees the scars in her left arm, and shudders.

'She really does... Have them.'

He slides the curtain back behind him, and sits down on the left side of her bed to look around a little. There's a bed on the other side of the room. Must be Kadaj's bed. Looks like the kid's got a broken leg, too. No idea if that's from before the accident or after the accident. An operation for a broken leg takes a little while.  
On the nightstand on the other side of her bed,in front of the dark blue curtain, rests her bag and her clothes. Looks like they're partly ripped though.  
Kadaj tugs on his shirt. Riku bends down to him and the boy blurts out a question.  
"Hey, are you her boyfriend?"  
Riku blushes and jerks back lightly.  
"What, not yet?" the boy says with wide eyes.  
"Ah, No, I mean, um.."  
"Kadaj! Come on, let's go get somehing to eat!"  
"Ah, coming mommy!" he hops merrily to his mother, smirking 'Good luck' to Riku.

Riku buries his dace in a hand, trying to calm his blush. "Oh god.."  
He glances at Xion. She looks so peaceful in her sleep. And then his eyes suddenly fall on those pink lips.

Fuck.

The words spin in his head.  
'He kissed her. He kissed her. He kissed her. He kissed those fucking beautiful lips.'  
He shakes his head, but he can't stop staring. But when his eyes fall in the scars of her left arm, his blush dissapears.  
He passes a hand in her skin, just like the nurse. It's soft and warm. He then lifts his gaze to her lips again. While his hand mingles with hers, the other one passes a gentle finger on her lips. His blush returns as he approches his face to hers, but he stoped midway, noticing voices behind the curtain.  
"This is the room right?"  
"Looks like it."  
"Let's go in then."  
He, at ninja speed, leans back into his chair in silence. The three come in as he hopes to god and buddha and everything else that they didn't see anything.

Roxas sildes the curtain and sees Riku.  
"Hey..."  
"Hey."  
His gaze falls on the scars, and then Riku. He shows a worried expression as he squeaks:  
"You saw them."  
He nods.

Lea and Isa come inside the room and Lea puts a hand on his lover's shoulder as Isa comes to stand beside Riku.  
"Are you shocked?" he asks him.  
"Well... I guess I am.. Wait you all knew about this?"  
Lea nods. "We don't know why exactly she does it, though."  
"Really..." he buries his face in his hands. "I've known her for so long and I never knew."  
"Well, I've known puppet ever since she was born and I found out about her cuts two years ago." Isa scoffs, maybe trying to confort him. But it sounded more like a sarcastic remark.  
Riku's head shoots up to him. "Ever since she was born, really?"  
"Oh, he's not lying." Lea smirks.  
Riku smirks back. "I'd like to hear he story then."  
Isa facepalms himself. "Really."  
He tells the same story he told Vanitas, but skipped a few parts. (Like his confessions about Lea.) It took a little while, because all boys were scared that Xion would wake up and hear them. She was lightly shuffling here and there, like a child in uncomfortable covers.  
Roxas giggled. "She looks just like a dreaming cat."  
Lea smirks and takes out his phone. "Gotta take a picture of this..."

When Isa was done with his story, Riku turns to Roxas and Lea.  
"What about you guys?"  
"Huh?"  
"How did you guys... Grow on to her so much?"  
Isa leans on the wall. "I'd like to know that too, I haven't heard the full story."  
"What? But I told you, man!" Lea pouts.  
"You told me exactly this; 'Roxy met her, and then met me, and she helped us become all lovey-dovey and we became bestest friends ever. The end.'"  
Lea grins and scratches the back of his head. He and Roxas exchange looks and the blond decides to start the tale.  
"I guess it started at a convience shop."  
"Wha.. Really?"  
Roxas chuckles to the memory. "Yep. I met Lea in a convience shop. I bought noodles when our parents were out, in our new house, and they were almost never there. I wanted to apply as a part time worker there when I entered middle school."  
He sits down on a chair before continuing.  
"Speaking of middle school, it's on my third year that I met Xion. We, me and Ven, transferred there in the middle of the year, so it was a little hard for us. We were in different classes, and so I couldn't be as social as Ven. We were knew we were gay, but I didn't do a very god job at hiding it, unlike him.  
I tried to avoid talking, but the students were all on me during the break. Only her and a few people didn't bother with the newcomer, me.  
When came the lunch period, I was eating alone, beside the gang that Ventus already had. Though turns out some of them were highly against homosexuals and he left them to cone eat with me. We saw Xion at the end of the table, and some girls were throwing some trash on her, calling her a nobody. I remember whispering that she was in my class to Ven. When the people left, she was finishing her meal in the corner. When she got up, she started picking up the garbage that the people threw on her. She even webt to the table they were sitting and cleaned up the mess they left behind!"  
He was laughing, but his voice was shaking..  
"Ven and I just sat there and watched her. She was slightly struggling with the garbage, and so we both got up and helpd her. That's when we became friends. We talked during the rest of lunch time, and we really liked her. I found out that she already knew Lea at the end of the day. He was waiting for her, and um, well, when he saw me..."  
Lea throws a strong arm around him. "Love at first sight, what else?"  
"Yeah..."  
"But, guys... Weren't you afraid of letting the other know that you were gay at the time?" Riku asked, but he got laughs as an answer.  
"Oh, god, I remember this." Lea calmed his laugh before continuing. "We didn't even have time to breathe. It seemed that Xion was aware if our love for each other and our insecurity of being gay and set us up. She locked us in the storage room, refusing to let us out until we'd told everything to each other."  
Riku chuckled, and Isa gazed down to her.  
"That sly devil." he smiled, before walking out if the room.  
"Where are you going?" Lea asked him.  
"I'm going to go get a drink."  
"Oh, I'll go too. We ran all the way here, after all." Roxas grinned before following Isa, dragging Lea out of the room.  
"We'll be back!" he said merrily.  
Riku sighed and slowly, mingled his hand in hers, his expression darkening with worry. He lifted up to forehead.  
"Xion.."  
When he lifted his head, he saw her eyelids fluttering, and that alerted him. Riku slightly got up, leaning a little to her. He called out her name in low voice, and he didn't even know he did.

"Xion?"

She opened her eyes, abd he stared at the deep blue in her Iris. They reminded him of the vast blue sky.  
"Riku?"

-  
Thank you so much for reading! Please review and tell me what you think! It helps a lot, even if it's just one phrase. Thank you. :DD  
If any of you have a question, I have an rp blog that's almost always open. (4lph4k1ds)  
-rolls-


	11. Chapter 11

"Xion!" He said again, a little louder this time. "Y-you're awake! Do you know where you are?"  
The girl tried to shake her head, but it ached too much.  
"N-no.. Where?"  
"You're at the hospital. Remember the kid you saved?"  
"Oh… He's okay? Thank god.." she sighed, closing her eyes.  
When she opened them again she noticed that someone was holding her hand. She looked down and saw Riku's hand clapsed together with hers. She blushed but didn't say a thing. It felt warm. It wasn't like Vanitas trying too hard to have some awkward skin ship with her. Although she quickly pulled her hand back from it's comforting embrace when she noticed her forearm wasn't covered.  
"U-um.."  
"I saw them. It's alright." He tries to say calmly.  
Her heart throbbed.

He saw them.  
He saw her ugly scars.  
He saw the fucking red lines that she cut on herself.

Her head lowered, and she curled in on herself. It hurt as hell but she didn't care. Her mind was in much more of a mess right now. Her grip on her wrist just kept tightening.  
"You saw them.."  
"Yes.. I did. Xion it's alright.."  
He was a little lost to her reaction, and he really wanted to hug her..  
He put a gentle arm around her, and to his joy, she didn't push him away.  
Actually her head came to lean on his, after a while. Her body became less tense. He looked down at her face and saw that she had passed out. He sighed, a slight blush spreading on his face.  
He looked outside the window and saw Lea, Roxas and Isa leaving. Roxas was texting on his cell and as he closed it, Riku saw his phone vibrate on his chair.  
"_Guess they had other plans or something._" He thought to himself.  
His gaze traveled back to Xion's face.  
Her soft hair, her long eyelashes, her little nose and those pink lips..  
He again brought his thumb to her face and stroked her lips. They were really soft.  
It was really damn tempting to kiss her right here and now, but he restrained himself. He shook his head.  
"_No dude, it's even worse than what Vanitas did to her._"  
He slowly replaced her so that she would be in a more comfortable position to sleep but.. She was holding onto his shirt.  
Riku's eyes widened. Bringing a hand to his face to hide an uncontrollable blush, he lowered his head.  
"_Goddamn it.._"  
He slowly undid her grip on him and placed her to be sleeping sideways, face to him, who was sitting back down on his chair.  
He brushed a few strands of her bangs aside, and leaned in to kiss her forehead gently.

When the girl woke, the first thing she was Riku, sleeping on the bed in a pretty uncomfortable position.  
"_That's gonna hurt tomorrow._" Would be what she'd think in this situation but the thought of him knowing about her scars was the only thing on her mind. She wanted to jump out the window and go someplace else.

Wait… He didn't.. Say anything bad about it. In fact he said it was 'alright'.  
No, it's not.. But… Riku was the last person she'd wanted to see her scars. But why? Why did she want to hide her ugly side from him, all while wanting to cry in his arms and tell him everything?

"So he **is** your boyfriend." A little voice said across the room.  
Xion flinched and turned around. It was Kadaj, the boy she had saved.  
She blushed brightly and couldn't find the words to even stutter. She moved her free arm in exaggerated movements, almost as if saying oh-no-I-mean-maybe-wait-no-urgh-I-dont-know-my-fee lings-for-him.

The boy chuckled to the sight of her panic and smiled. "Thank you for saving me."  
Xion froze. That phrase, no, that expression... It was the same as them all... When they said that they became friends with her. A warm, comforting and welcoming smile.  
She smiled back in response. "It was nothing. Your life was worth it."  
The boy tilt his head. That comment was deep and he didn't understand it fully. "It was?"  
Xion giggled, and nodded. "Uh-huh. It was."  
"Okay... Thank you, I guess.." he scratched the back of his head, blushing a little.  
Her smile became brighter. "You're welcome."

Riku's eyes fluttered open. He got up silently and rubbed his neck.  
"Darnit.. Shouln't have slept that way."  
"You don't say." Xion answered back.  
Riku flinched. "O-oh, you're awake."  
She nodded. "Good morning."  
"Morning." He nodded back.  
He noticed that she was holding onto his hand like he was and blushed.  
"Um... You're fine with this?" he asked, the hand behind his head becoming tense.  
"Hm?"  
"Um.. Me.. Holding your hand."  
"Oh, um.." she lowered her head, blushing as brightly as him. "Yeah.."  
He couldn't stop a smile from rising to his face. He lifts her hand a little, approaching it to his lips. Xion blushes even brighter to the touch of his lips on her fingers, and tries to pull back. Although it hurt and she was weak at the moment, so Riku was strong enough to keep her hand in his.  
"W-w-what are you doing?" she squeaked.  
"Something I should've done a long while ago."

He slid a hand to her elbow, and turned her forearm to face her scars, and gently kissed her skin. He gently pecked them, going upwards from her wrist to her elbow.  
He heard the girl lift her other arm to her face, and decided to follow it with his eyes. He saw her face, brightly blushing with her eyes covered by her hand. She was bitting her lips as he saw a tear roll down her cheek. He slowly took his arm to try and remove it, but her hand wouldn't bugde. (superhuman strength, remember?)  
"Xion, please show me your face."  
"N-never."

Dammit, what was she saying? She shouldn't answer like that! She's already said it so too bad, but what the hell? Why is she losing her composure at times like this? Not in front of him! Anyone but him! But... Wait, why him?  
That small moment of mental weakness was noticed by Riku and he took that chance to flap her arm away.  
"Gotcha."  
"Ah.." she tries to lift her other hand, but it's pinned down by Riku's on the side od the bed. She's almost never lost to anyone in physical strength before, apart from when her foe was Terra and/or Isa. Was Riku always this strong, or..?  
Everything went down so fast; Her arm moving away, his grin, her brightening blush, his eyes locked on hers, his face approaching, their lips connecting.  
Her body went all mushy as she started to fall back, unlike when she tensed up when it was Vanitas. Strong arms came around her waist to support her. Gently pulling her towards him. She lifted her hands on his chest, her heart racing, wanting to break the kiss, but she just froze when she felt the boy's heartbeat underneath her palm.

It was racing at he same beat as hers.

She slightly opened her mouth in surprise. Riku, caught up in this... Tornado of male hormones and feelings, slid his tongue in while tensing his arms around her, making her chest crush on his. Xion felt something warm and soft teasing her tongue and tried her best not to moan. No, not with a child watching...

Wait, what?


	12. Chapter 12

She somehow regained her strength and pushed him away, blushing. She then hurrily got up and, pulled off the needles for her perfusion and dragged the white-haired boy out of the room, and to the stairs.  
"X-Xion! What are you doing?!" he blushed.  
No answer.  
"Xion!"

Riku sighed and didn't say anything after that, but he was getting worried. Did he do something wrong? He let himself be dragged off to… Wherever she was going, with a few thoughts in mind. Why did he kiss her again? Is it because she was cute? Or hormones and shit?

Without any real idea where to go, Xion just went to the roof. She violently closed the door and slammed Riku onto it. His head hit the metal brutally.  
"Ow! What was—"

He was cut off by her lips crashing onto his. She had gripped his collar and pulled him down to kiss him. Her body was becoming mushy but instinctively, Riku wrapped an arm around her waist and another went behind her ear to tilt her head sideways, so that he could slip his tongue in again.  
When they pulled back for air, both were panting, and their eyes were locked on each other's. Xion bit her lip, and started to tear up. Riku stroked her cheek gently, and kissed her forehead again. "Don't cry, Xion..." he whispered softly.  
She could feel his breath on her skin. Oh my gosh he was so close.. She realized this just now.  
"I... didn't want you to see them..." she squeaked out.  
"Xion..."  
"I really, didn't want you to find out like this..."  
"Xion it's okay. T-these scars make you who you are, and..."

She rested her head on his shoulder, and they both sank to the ground.  
Riku gently rested his head on hers, and noticed she was shivering. Also that it was probably because they were outside and there was a cold wind blowing. She was only in hospital clothes too…  
"W.. We should head inside.. It's cold." He finally said.  
He felt her head shake on his shoulder and he sighed.  
"Alright then. But at least.. Let me see your face."

She bit her bottom lip (she does that a lot.) and pulled back a little to face him. She wasn't making eye contact though. He saw a tear roll down her cheek again and without warning, he pecked on her lips again.  
When his head pulled back, she was blushing again, and that just made her cuter than she already was to his eyes. He grinned, and brushed some of her hair behind her ear.  
"Xion..."

He kissed her eyelids, tasting a little of her tears. They were salty. Just like sea water. Why does she remind him of the sea so much? But, his doubts from earlier were cleared now. The irritation he'd feel when she was with someone else, her smiling face in his dreams, the smile rising on his face when she talked with him, the sound of his noisy heart when she smiled... All of this… Is because..

"I love you."  
He finally said, closing his eyes and connecting their foreheads. He heard a squeak from Xion and chuckled. He kissed her again, but she pushed him back.  
His head hit the door once more and hers landed on his chest.  
"Fuck you! It's all your fault!" she squeaked out.  
Riku's eyes widened. He's never really.. Seen her mad before. She kept talking though.  
"I… I…"  
She said it so softly he wasn't sure he'd heard it right.  
"I love you too, and I hate it."

Yes I know I have a problem with writing shit that is actually readable.  
Thanks for bearing with me.


	13. Sidestory 1 Roxas and Lea

Sidestory 1 ;Roxas and Lea.

Okay this is pretty long and I should've cut it on two chapters but fuck it. I'm pretty proud of it, I think. Anyways enjoy..!

"Roxas, would you mind going out to buy some instant noodles, milk and bread?" Ventus wailed out from the cupboard. "We just ran out again."  
"Oh god, really? Have you been feeding cats and birds again?" the younger twin nagged, eyes still fixated by his MMO. His guild leader just sent out the message of going to work, so Roxas figured it should be enough for now too. He messaged his guild that he was going out as well and after logging out, he leaned on his chair to rub his eyes.  
He was the second leader to the guild. The leader was a friend who's username was Axel. Roxas went by the username "Yozora", which means starry sky or something like that in japenese. There was a third leader, and her username was "Noi".  
Axel, Noi and Roxas were good internet buddies, and they were friends in more than just one game. Plus they shared their skype accounts to call each other too. They never showed themselves on camera though. They didn't deem it necesarry, to know what the others looked like. They were friends because of who they were, not what they looked like.  
In some games they all had guilds, and their name would always be "Organisation XIII".

After two minutes of basking in the dancing lights of when you close your eyes, Roxas put on a beanie and a jacket before heading out to the convinience store. It was only a few streets away.  
When he entered the store, he noticed that the cashier was someone he'd never seen before. Maybe it was because he usually never comes here so late but.. When he greeted him "Welcome", Roxas couldn't help but flinch.

He sounded so much like Axel.

It was crazy, it's like he was right there. Although it was impossible... Axel is a quarter away around the world.. Unless... He was lying and this is really him? He shook his head and nodded back to the guy, not realizing how red his face was. No, Axel wouldn't lie to him... They're good friends..! He tried to push away the thought about all the butterflies his internet friend once (and kind of still) gave him and tried to concentrate on why he was here in the first place.

While taking milk in the basket, right beside the bread he noticed that tomorrow he and his brother were going to head into school they'd transferred to. They just moved here was week and finished packing the day after. It's gonna be weird, obviously. Not only because it's in the almost the end of the month of November (aka the middle of the year kind of), but also because Roxas and Ventus were in seperate classes. Roxas was always the type to bot talk much, unless you'd aboard a subject he likes and could rant about for hours. He was alright with small talk, but unlike the super sociable Ventus he couldn't make friends easily. Apart from his internet buddies, he doesn't really have some. Axel and Noi were all he had after Ven.  
A mail came to him when he was in the instant food aisle, and it was from his father. He sighed, read it, and then called Ventus to let him know their father sent him a text.  
Their father was never around, too busy winning the money that was necesarry to keep him and his sons alive. Although he was winning more than enough, he still kept his two jobs until recently. At the moment he only has one job, and he's devoting all his time on it. Only comes home to sleep, and that's about it. He and his sons were pretty already distant, but after the divorce they grew even more further away from each other. Not to mention their step-mother living seperately from them in another country.. Sometimes the twins wonder why he fought to keep them from their birth mother anyways. He wasn't even free for their birthdays. He just sent them a text or some cards of when he was on an overseas trip. He was on one right now, because he got a promotion. That's what the text was for. Telling them he had arrived, wondering if they were okay in the new neighbourhood and what they could want from where he was right now.  
Roxas sighed and turned the noddle cup in his hands as he told his brother to answer his father, like calling him or something since the text came recently or replying with another text to his brother and not noticing that the cashier was staring at him.

The next day, both boys woke up early to prepared and head out. They were going to school.  
"Roxas, you awake yet?" Ventus called out, peeping his head in his brother's room. He was expecting for him to still be asleep or stuck in the bathroom, but he was up and checking his collar in his mirror.  
"Oh." Roxas said as he saw his brother enter. "Mornin Ven." he greeted him.  
"Good morning." he answered back. "I made breakfeast."  
Roxas winced, a little worried. "Uuuhm, you did?"  
Ventus rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, it's not eggs or anything fancy that I could fuck up. Just some grilled waffles and a glass of milk."  
"Oh... Whew." the other twin sighed. Last time Ven spent too much time in the kitchen without any instructions or directions, whatever he made with whatever he had was hard to clean. Roxas would feel confident about betting that there are still stains in their old house.

After breakfeast, the twins arrived at school by bus, and were welcomed by a girl with long straight black hair tied up in a ponytail. She introduced herself as "Xion", and stretched both her hands out to them. Roxas almost was caught in a trance because she sounded so much like Noi.  
Ventus introduced them both and slapped Roxas back. Telling him to at least shake her hand or say something.  
He snapped back to his senses and appologized, taking Xion's hand and shakingu it lightly, giving her a simple "Hey".  
Goddamn it, no matter how much he wanted to meet his internet buddies, it didn't mean that he was crazy enough to make strangers sound like them in his head.

Xion lead them to the principal's office, and then exused herself, returning to class.  
The principal was a nice person, she welcomed them warmly in her office and then asked her secretary to escort them both to their classes.  
"You two both have a nice day now." she smiled at them as they walked away, waving gently.  
The twins thanked them and were lead to their new classes. Ven was in math, and Roxas was in history.

It wasn't too bad on his side, the teacher was a bald man that seemed like a lively person. He was presented to the class, and they all welcomed him pretty warmly. He saw Xion next to the empty seat in the back, and apparently that's where he was going to sit. He walked back there and greeted her again, but she only glanced at him and nodded, then returning to taking notes.  
Didn't even bother to say hello. This is great.

The first period went pretty well, but he cut off almost pretty much everyone and anyone that tried to start talking with him because he wasn't interested in either the type of person that was talking to him or the topic that they were talking about.  
Second period went by extremely fast, and ar lunchtime he had a little trouble finding Ven. This school's cafeteria was freakin huge.  
He found Ven sitting with a bunch if other kids, and when his twin spotted him he invited him over with a glance.  
Roxas shook his head and sat on two tables away from them. He saw Xion scribbling something into a notebook on the other side of the table. He also saw that this table was empty. He wondered why but then he shrugged that question off and started eating.  
Ven joined him soon later.  
"Ven?"  
"Those guys insulted gay rights." he grinned, although his eyes were telling otherwise.  
Yeah that's right, the twins were gay. That's why Roxas cut off everyone and anyone that were mostly superficial looking girls from talking to him. Thanks to their step-mother, it took them a little while to get comfortable around any female at all. Ven got over it quicker than Roxas, but the younger twin was still slightly traumatized. It wasn't bad to the point where you'd need to go see a terapist, but there was pshycological scar there. He can talk and interact them and stuff now, but when it came to certain things he just felt this awkward shiver. And sometimes even wanted to throw up.

He talked with Ven for a while, but then they were interrupted by a bunch of students screaming insults at someone. That someone was Xion.  
"Whoa, so there are bullies like that even in this school." Ventus remarked, a fork in his mouth.  
"Yeah.."  
The twins were wondering if Xion was going to rage on them, answer back or stay silent and ignore them, like the twins once did when bullies picked on them for coming out to a friend that instead kept the secret, made spread it around like a wildfire.  
She ignored them, not even flinching when there was a boy that went all the way and threw his juice bottle at her before walking away with the rest of the gang. It landed on her head and Ventus noticed that she was using her tray to protect something that looked like a book.  
"That girl's in my class.." Roxas said to his brother, eyes locked on Xion, who was getting up.  
"Really?" Ven asked him, eyes widened a little but by surprise. The other just nodded in answer, thrn thrned her head back to Xion.  
She shoved her notebook in her pocket and took the juice bottle on her plate. She glanced at the twins on the other side of the table and then went to the place where the other students were sitting. They'd made a mess of their side of the table, with things everywhere on the table and a few empty cans left behind.  
To the twins surprise, she sighed and started picking their junk up on her tray, cleaning the mess.  
They watched her take all those things alone, and when she dropped a few cans on the ground they rolled to the twins. Roxas got up with his tray in hand and took two of them, putting them on his tray whilst walking towards Xion.  
"Need any help?" he asked her. "You seem to be having a hard time with all that."  
Ventus came beside them with the rest of the cans on his tray. "Nice to see you again, Xion."  
There was a little silence before she talked to them.  
"Are you.. Sure you want to help me?" she said.

Yep, she really did sound like Noi. Only like, a much more shyer version of her.  
"Well why not?" Ventus grinned at her.  
"Well if you stay with me.. It'll be hard for you guys to um, make friends with other people and all that."  
"Pft, like I have friends anyways. You saw me cut everyone off when we were on the break, no?" Roxas said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.  
He heard her giggle and..

Welp she was cute.

"Thank you both then." she said."Garbage's over there."

After school, the tree walked to the bus stop together and took the same one home.  
They found out she lived on the other side of the convinence store Roxas went at yesterday.  
"I'm gonna stop by there, since I'm working there now starting from today." she said.  
"Oh, already got a job huh? Very mature of you." Ven remarked.  
"Hey um, think I could get to work there too?" Roxas asked her.  
He was thinking that maybe he'd get to see that guy that sounded like Axel too. Maybe he was related to him or something.  
"Roxas you'd actually want to start working? Y'know it's gonna take you away from your gaming time right?" Ven chuckled.  
"Gaming..? You play games, Roxas?" Xion asked him.  
"Uhm, yeah. I play alot of MMOs.. I'm gonna buy Guild Wars2 soon."  
"GuildWars2 huh? It's a good one. You don't have to pay monthly like WOW." she answered.  
"Hey you said the same thing my friend said abou the game."  
"That's what everyone is saying about the game."  
They both laughed, and then Ventus smiled at them both. It's been a while he'd seen his brother laugh with a girl... Or with another human being actually.  
"Alright too much gamer talk for me, I'm lost in the digits." Ven declared, putting both hands up to dramatize his words.  
They all laughed, and said goodbye in front of the convinience store, a stop away from the twins house.  
"She's cute when she laughs." Ven said once they'd jumped off the bus.  
"Yeah, I guess so."  
When he got back home. he logged on and saw that Noi wasn't there. Axel wasn't either.  
His guild memebers welcomed him and informed him that both had work and left. Noi hadn't signed on since last night though.

The next day, Xion greeted him when he came to sit down his desk.  
"Good morning."  
"Morning Xion."  
"We um.. Have math.. Today." she said, glancing at the girls giggling behind their back. Roxas didn't notice her shoulders lifting, sign of her becoming more tense and answered that he wasn't going to worry about this class because he exceled in math. He wanted to become a techinician after all.  
"What about you?" he asked her.  
"Me?"  
"Yes you, I'm not talking to anyone elze at the moment." he smiled at her.  
"O-oh... Well.. I've never really sat down and thought about it.. So I can't answer."  
"Hm, well what's the first job that pops into your mind right now? Now that, you're probablythinking about it."  
"Don't try Roxas, she'll probably become something like a Garbage gatherer!" a girl two desks away from them said.  
Both ignored her though.

In the end Xion didn't give him her answer, the beel rang before she could say anything. He asked her again at lunchtime.  
"I don't know, maybe something like an animator?"  
"Animator huh? Well I've never seen you draw but.." he noticed she almost didn't have any food on her tray and pointed it out before finishin his sentence.  
"Oh... Well that's because I always eat alot in the morning.."  
"Are you doing it to lose weight..?" he asked her. "You seem to be pretty skinny already though.  
She shook her head and answered that it saved her a little but of money to put aside this way. He nodded, finding thay option smart and joke about how he should do the same thing instead of getting a part-time job.  
"Oh, speaking of that job, our new manager said that if you wanted the job you should come over today if you were free." she said, walking towards the table.  
"Oh, well I don't see anything that's stopping me from going." he said, noticing that his brother was already seated at the table.  
Ventus waved at the both of them, a smile of his face.

After school, Roxas and Xion got off at the same stop, the one in front of the convinience store. Roxas saw the redhead that sounded like Axel by the window and flinched, feeling a heat rising to his ears.  
He didn't get a good look at him two days ago, but he was really attractive.  
They walked in, and he greeted Xion.  
"Hiya. Who's your friend?" he said, glancing at Roxas. It made his heart skip a beat for some reason. His eyes were of a very bright green, and his flashy red hair made them stand out more.  
"He's the friend I told you about yesterday." she said, introducing him to the manager. "His name is Roxas."  
"Hiya Roxas. I'm Lea. So you want to work here?" he smiled at him, stretching his hand out. Roxas took it hesitantly and nodded.  
"Nice to meet you." he squeaked out.  
"Yeah you too." Lea grinned back at him. That make his heart flutter and butterflies rose in his stomach, just like when he talked to Axel..  
"So, I'm going to assume you'll be coming in and out same time as Xion?" he asked, turning to Xion but finding that she wasn't even there. She went into the staffroom and was changing.  
"Uuh, when does she check in and out, by the way..? I haden't really thought all the way to a work schedule yet.." Roxas said, scratching the back of his head.  
"Well Xion works on Fridays and Saturdays until 4am, because that's when we change with the morning shift. On Sundays she works from 8am to 4pm. That's when she has school though. On holidays and vacations she works all week, from 8am to 3:45pm." he said, adding that she got paid around 12 to 15 by the hour.  
Roxas thought for a bit, and then said that he was going to work with the same schedule as her. It was pretty well-thought and seemed like a good option at the moment.  
When Xion came out with her apron she asked Lea if Roxas was on board or not.  
"Well that depends on Roxas now."  
"Huh? But I came here to ask if I could work here.."  
"Sure, but does it mean you want to work here?"  
"Well yeah.. Or else I wouldn't boher coming out of the house.."  
"Alright then, you're in!" Lea grinned at him. "Welcome to the staff Roxas!"  
"Huh? That quickly?"  
"What? You want to go through all the documentations now?"  
"Erm no, I'll hold out on that."  
"Ahaha, thought so. Well, if you're okay with it, You could start tomorrow. Same schedule as Xion, right?"  
"Yeah." Roxas nodded.  
Lea taped it down on his phone on a memo and then told him he looked forward to seeing him tomorrow. Roxas smiled and replied that he was looking foreward to start working here.

A few weeks later, Ventus became very close friends with Namine, Xion's childhood friend that was the cousin of Kairi, Sora's girlfriend.  
It wasn't the best thing but Ven was crushing badly on Sora.. When Roxas reported this to Xion she was a little surprised but took it very well.  
"You're not bothered by the fact that he likes a guy?" Roxas asked her.  
"No.. I'm more bothered by the fact that he's crushing on someone that's already in a realationship. And it seems pretty darn strong too." she said, glancing at the two lovebirds a few tables away from them. She saw Riku, a white-haired boy that was Sora's childhood friend (and popular with the ladies) and returned to scribbling in her notebook.  
"You guys are homosexual, aren't you?" she said, looking at Roxas in the eye. He flinched at her question, and took a while before nodding in head.  
"I see." she replied.  
"You're not... Bothered by it? Me and Ven.. Being.. Attracted to guys?"  
"No. I don't see what's wrong with it honestly. Love is love." she said, closing her notebook and shoving in her pocket. Roxas took his tray and started walking to the garbage with her.  
This is the first time someone didn't diss on him because he was gay.  
Come to think of it, he never told his dad he was interested in humans with the same gender, huh? Well not that he'd really care anyways.

After that, he grew closer and closer to both Xion and Lea. He talked about Noi and Axel to Xion alot on lunch break, and honestly no matter what he wanted to say she was there to listen to him. He didn't feel awkward talking to her at all. In fact, after telling her about Axel and Noi she also started opening up to him in return.  
They shared a few secrets here and there, making their friendship grow.  
He grew closer to Lea too. Sometimes when there weren't any customers around they'd take some ice cream out of the freezer. Out of all the flavours, from strawberry to Paopu fruit Sea Salt were the only flavour the three would eat.

They became really good friends, and then one day...  
During winter holidays, Xion locked both Lea and Roxas in the storage room.  
"Xion?! What the fuck are you doing?!" Lea shouted, banging his fist on the door.  
"I'm not opening this until things are settled." she said, sitting down on the other side of the door. "You teo are getting on my nerves."  
"Getting on your nerves..? What are you saying? Let us out of here, Xion!"  
"Oh, someone came in." she said, hearing the sound of the automatic doors. "I'll be right back."  
She got up and walked away, Lea baging away at the door behind her. He sighed and sat down, glancing at Roxas, whom was leaning back on the wall.  
"You seem pretty calm about this." he said.  
"Well she said that she'd be back, and Xion doesn't really lie." Roxas said, sitting down in front of him.  
Both noticed that it was pretty cramped in here, and turned away blushing.  
Both took out their phones and connected on skype, Roxas seeing that Axel was on, and Lea seeing that Yozora was on, they started texting each other.  
They soon connected for a call, and when they heard their voices echo in each others phone...  
Well first their eyes widened and their jaw dropped, Lea even dropped his phone, disconnecting the call.  
It took a little while until they both spoke the same word.  
"You.."  
A small silence before they called each other their usernames.  
"Axel.."  
"Yozora.."  
There was a silence again until Roxas jumped on Lea, hugging him tightly with his arms around his neck.  
"You goddman liar..! You aren't a quarter way around the world..!" he said, tears in his eyes.  
Lea chuckled. "Aah well, I'm a quarter of town away from you."  
"Shut up that's not the same thing!" he said, hugging him tighter.  
"Hm. I guess so." he said, hugging Roxas back by the waist. "I'm sorry."  
Roxas waited a bit before pulling back, pouting at him and saying that a simple appology wouldn't be enough.  
"What? You're not going to ask me for more rar equips are yo-"  
He was cut off by Roxas lips crashing on his, because he pulled him closer in a flash. He blinked in surprise a few times, but then wrapped his arms around his waist tighter, and pulled him up. Roxas settled down on his knees in bewteen his legs and stared into his bright green eyes, his face now hovering above his.  
"Does this mean what I think it means?" Lea smiled, pulling Roxas head down to connect their foreheads.  
Roxas smiled at him, answering "I think so".  
At that moment, a few lights knocks were heard on the door, and then Xion's voice followed.  
"Did you kiss yet?"  
Both boys laughed, and Axel answered her with a grin.  
"Want to hear our sloppy makeouts, you damn Fujoshi?"  
"Oh well why not?" she teased them, unlocking the door.  
As she opened the door Lea and Roxas were now standing in front of her, hand intertwined, blushing and grinning like the dorks in love they were.  
They toasted to the new couple with Sea Salt ice cream, and then Lea said that Noi wS the only one missing in the picture right now.  
"Come to think of it, you and Noi really sound alike, Xion!" Roxas told her.  
"Yeah I bet you two would be great friends." Lea added.  
"Why would I want to be friends with myself?"  
"Huh?" both boys said. She just kept rambling though.  
"Oh gosh that would be so weird, considering yourself as your own friend."  
"Noi?" they both called out to her at the same time.  
Xion turned around and answered; "I was ramblling again, wasn't I."

-  
So yeah..! I have a few more side stories coming after this one, although I don't think there's anything else to add on the main story though… It's pretty much over.  
I know you all are going to say that there are things that are missing, like what happened after that but I don't usually write those kind of endings. I usually leave it up to the readers to imagine that for themselves. One thing for sure is that Xion and Riku are together.


End file.
